A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE
A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams
Mock Examination Questions
1. ‘At its heart, this play is a hymn of praise to the American Dream.’ Examine this view of A
Streetcar Named Desire.
2. Examine the significance of Steve and Eunice Hubbel in the play.
3. Examine the significance of Belle Reve in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’.
4. “Blanche is no tragic heroine, just an infuriating, self-pitying snob.”
Examine this view of Blanche DuBois in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’.
5. “A Streetcar Named Desire is primarily concerned with presenting the power of physical
aggression.” In response to this view, examine how Tennessee Williams uses violence to
shape the play.
6. How far would you agree that “The main role of Blanche Dubois is to illustrate the fragile
nature of female identity”?
7. [He goes out. BLANCHE rises from her chair. She seems faint; looks about her with an
expression of almost panic.] BLANCHE: Stella! What have you heard about me? STELLA:
Huh? BLANCHE: What have people been telling you about me? STELLA: Telling? BLANCHE:
You haven’t heard any – unkind – gossip about me? STELLA: Why, no, Blanche, of course
not! BLANCHE: Honey, there was – a good deal of talk in Laurel. STELLA: About you,
, Blanche? BLANCHE: I wasn’t so good the last two years or so, after Belle Reve had started
to slip through my fingers. STELLA: All of us do things we – BLANCHE: I never was hard or
self-sufficient enough. When people are soft – soft people have got to court the favour of
hard ones, Stella. Have got to be seductive – put on soft colours, the colours of butterfly
wings, and glow – make a little – temporary magic just in order to pay for – one night’s
shelter! That’s why I’ve been – not so awf’ly good lately. I’ve run for protection, Stella,
from under one leaky roof to another leaky roof – because it was storm – all storm, and I
was – caught in the centre… People don’t see you – men don’t – don’t even admit your
existence unless they are making love to you. And you’ve got to have your existence
admitted by someone, if you’re going to have someone’s protection. And so the soft
people have got to – shimmer and glow – put a – paper lantern over the light…But I’m
scared now – awf’ly scared. I don’t know how much longer I can turn the trick. It isn’t
enough to be soft. You’ve got to be soft and attractive. And I – I’m fading now!
Analyse Williams’ presentation of Blanche in the extract above.
Explore elsewhere in the play how Williams’ treatment of Blanche reveals
changing attitudes and values in 1940s America.
8. Examine the significance of the unseen characters Allan Grey and Shep Huntleigh in A
Streetcar Named Desire.
9. ‘In A Streetcar Named Desire, Stella’s final betrayal of her sister is impossible to forgive.’
Examine this view.
10. How far would you agree that “A Streetcar Named Desire chiefly illustrates the tragic fate
of the outsider and raises the question of justice”?
We will reward coherent, well-structured, relevant responses to the discussion of the
view that A Streetcar Named Desire chiefly illustrates the unjust fate of the outsider,
where candidates have engaged in a clear, well-organised and effective discourse which
they have written in an academic style and register. Credit will also be given for
appropriate use of terminology and an awareness of the conventions of drama.
A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams
Mock Examination Questions
1. ‘At its heart, this play is a hymn of praise to the American Dream.’ Examine this view of A
Streetcar Named Desire.
2. Examine the significance of Steve and Eunice Hubbel in the play.
3. Examine the significance of Belle Reve in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’.
4. “Blanche is no tragic heroine, just an infuriating, self-pitying snob.”
Examine this view of Blanche DuBois in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’.
5. “A Streetcar Named Desire is primarily concerned with presenting the power of physical
aggression.” In response to this view, examine how Tennessee Williams uses violence to
shape the play.
6. How far would you agree that “The main role of Blanche Dubois is to illustrate the fragile
nature of female identity”?
7. [He goes out. BLANCHE rises from her chair. She seems faint; looks about her with an
expression of almost panic.] BLANCHE: Stella! What have you heard about me? STELLA:
Huh? BLANCHE: What have people been telling you about me? STELLA: Telling? BLANCHE:
You haven’t heard any – unkind – gossip about me? STELLA: Why, no, Blanche, of course
not! BLANCHE: Honey, there was – a good deal of talk in Laurel. STELLA: About you,
, Blanche? BLANCHE: I wasn’t so good the last two years or so, after Belle Reve had started
to slip through my fingers. STELLA: All of us do things we – BLANCHE: I never was hard or
self-sufficient enough. When people are soft – soft people have got to court the favour of
hard ones, Stella. Have got to be seductive – put on soft colours, the colours of butterfly
wings, and glow – make a little – temporary magic just in order to pay for – one night’s
shelter! That’s why I’ve been – not so awf’ly good lately. I’ve run for protection, Stella,
from under one leaky roof to another leaky roof – because it was storm – all storm, and I
was – caught in the centre… People don’t see you – men don’t – don’t even admit your
existence unless they are making love to you. And you’ve got to have your existence
admitted by someone, if you’re going to have someone’s protection. And so the soft
people have got to – shimmer and glow – put a – paper lantern over the light…But I’m
scared now – awf’ly scared. I don’t know how much longer I can turn the trick. It isn’t
enough to be soft. You’ve got to be soft and attractive. And I – I’m fading now!
Analyse Williams’ presentation of Blanche in the extract above.
Explore elsewhere in the play how Williams’ treatment of Blanche reveals
changing attitudes and values in 1940s America.
8. Examine the significance of the unseen characters Allan Grey and Shep Huntleigh in A
Streetcar Named Desire.
9. ‘In A Streetcar Named Desire, Stella’s final betrayal of her sister is impossible to forgive.’
Examine this view.
10. How far would you agree that “A Streetcar Named Desire chiefly illustrates the tragic fate
of the outsider and raises the question of justice”?
We will reward coherent, well-structured, relevant responses to the discussion of the
view that A Streetcar Named Desire chiefly illustrates the unjust fate of the outsider,
where candidates have engaged in a clear, well-organised and effective discourse which
they have written in an academic style and register. Credit will also be given for
appropriate use of terminology and an awareness of the conventions of drama.
